Blogs we like

March 25, 2006

Six new suspected cases in Asia

Three people were under observation in Cambodia today, suspected of having contacted bird flu:

The three -- one adult and two children -- are being treated for fever and respiratory problems at a hospital in the capital Phnom Penh, said Ly Sovann, head of the health ministry's department of infectious diseases.

The suspected cases come from a village neighbouring that of a three-year-old girl who died Tuesday after falling ill with the H5N1 strain of the virus.

Five other people who had contact with the suspected cases are also being tested, Ly Sovann said.

It is unknown how the three might have become infected with the deadly virus, Ly Sovann said.

Seven Cambodians thought to have caught bird flu after the girl died tested negative for the virus, Ly Sovann said earlier.

"All the seven suspected patients are negative ... all of them are better," he said.

A three-year old girl from northern Penang state and a 26-year-old man from neighbouring Perak state are in isolation while awaiting test results for the H5N1 virus, said the ministry's director for disease control, Ramlee Rahmat.

"They have been isolated pending further investigation. They are both stable," Ramlee told AFP. "The test results will come back in one or two days."

Finally, Indonesia reported today a one year old girl who died eariler this week tested positive for bird flu:

The girl, a resident of West Jakarta, died Thursday at Jakarta's Sulianti Saroso main state-run hospital for bird flu patients, said health ministry official Hariyadi Wibisono.

"The local tests for the girl came out positive. She had a history of contact with sick chickens near her house and suffered serious respiratory problems during hospitalisation," Wibisono told AFP.

Samples from the girl have been sent to a Hong Kong laboratory accredited by the World Health Organisation for confirmation, the official said.

If confirmed, the girl would be Indonesia's 23rd bird flu fatality. Results from local tests are usually accurate.

Comments

Six new suspected cases in Asia

Three people were under observation in Cambodia today, suspected of having contacted bird flu:

The three -- one adult and two children -- are being treated for fever and respiratory problems at a hospital in the capital Phnom Penh, said Ly Sovann, head of the health ministry's department of infectious diseases.

The suspected cases come from a village neighbouring that of a three-year-old girl who died Tuesday after falling ill with the H5N1 strain of the virus.

Five other people who had contact with the suspected cases are also being tested, Ly Sovann said.

It is unknown how the three might have become infected with the deadly virus, Ly Sovann said.

Seven Cambodians thought to have caught bird flu after the girl died tested negative for the virus, Ly Sovann said earlier.

"All the seven suspected patients are negative ... all of them are better," he said.

A three-year old girl from northern Penang state and a 26-year-old man from neighbouring Perak state are in isolation while awaiting test results for the H5N1 virus, said the ministry's director for disease control, Ramlee Rahmat.

"They have been isolated pending further investigation. They are both stable," Ramlee told AFP. "The test results will come back in one or two days."

Finally, Indonesia reported today a one year old girl who died eariler this week tested positive for bird flu:

The girl, a resident of West Jakarta, died Thursday at Jakarta's Sulianti Saroso main state-run hospital for bird flu patients, said health ministry official Hariyadi Wibisono.

"The local tests for the girl came out positive. She had a history of contact with sick chickens near her house and suffered serious respiratory problems during hospitalisation," Wibisono told AFP.

Samples from the girl have been sent to a Hong Kong laboratory accredited by the World Health Organisation for confirmation, the official said.

If confirmed, the girl would be Indonesia's 23rd bird flu fatality. Results from local tests are usually accurate.